Theology Paper Outline
Pope John Paul II Accusations
Pope John Paul II was perhaps the most beloved, respected and revered figure of the modern Catholic Church. He had a profound impact on how Catholics viewed their past and how the Church should interact with other religions and secular aspects of today’s society. Throughout his papacy (1978 – 2005), John Paul II often received mixed reviews – indeed he even survived an assassination attempt. Though his distracters believed that he should have never been offered the Papacy, most believed that his philosophy, his demeanor and his smile was just what the Church needed in a leader.
John Paul’s election began with controversy as it broke with tradition. He was from Poland, and, since medieval times, popes were of Italian descent. This in itself created an impact on the Church and changed the perspective of those outside of the Catholic religion. (Greene, 1-15). It is fascinating how John Paul II transitioned from a controversial religious figure to a popular and beloved worldly leader. One might ask: What was the reason behind his reputation for being so controversial? And, what made him such an intriguing pope during his reign?
John Paul II’s early life helped define his future as pope of the Roman Catholic Church. His childhood helped shape him into a well rounded, compassionate man. Born Karol Józef Wojtyla in May of 1920, he was the youngest of a family with two older siblings. His mother died when he was nine years old. He had been very close to his mother and her untimely passing greatly affected him. After high school, he attended Jagiellonian University in Kraków, where he majored in theatre arts. He also developed a passion for learning languages and studied Latin, Ukrainian, Greek, Spanish, Portuguese, French, Italian, German, and English, as well as his native language, Polish. After the Nazis invasion and occupation of Poland, Wojtyla worked in a factory in order to avoid...